


Balancing Work and Home: Bucky

by AvengersCompound (emilyevanston)



Series: Balancing Work and Home [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Children, F/M, Family, Fluff, Parenthood, Steve Is a Good Bro
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-15
Updated: 2018-09-15
Packaged: 2019-07-12 09:45:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15992657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emilyevanston/pseuds/AvengersCompound
Summary: Bucky's children don't want him to leave for his mission.  And to be honest, neither does Bucky.Part of a series written with@thelookingglassaliceabout the Avengers having to balance being an Avenger and their life at home.





	Balancing Work and Home: Bucky

Bucky sat on the floor cross-legged.  He was in uniform and ready to go but he was dawdling.  His three children clambered over him like he was a mountain to climb or a villain to topple.  There was a constant stream of chatter between them as they played.

“I’ll defeat you, daddy!”

“No!  Daddy is a good guy.  You’re being mean!”

“He is no match for me!”

“Daddy throw me!  Throw me!”

“Stop pushing him!”

It was noisy and chaotic and he loved it and he hated that he kept getting dragged away on missions.  They would cry.  He usually had slipped into Winter Soldier mode and even though he would want to stay he felt slightly removed from things.  They’d latch on to his legs and he’d have to pull them off and hand them to you while they screamed for him not to go.  It would break his heart but he’d still go.  He always went.

If the world needed saving, how could he possibly justify staying?

You came into the room and watched them play.  Bucky was smiling but it didn’t quite reach his eyes.  You knew what he was thinking.  You wished there was something you could do.  It always ended the same.  If Steve Rogers made the call, Bucky answered.

“You know you’re gonna need to get up soon right?”  You asked him taking a seat next to him.

“I know.  That’s why we’re playing right?”  He asked the kids.

“Don’t go, daddy!”  Your youngest daughter, Rebecca whined.

Bucky scooped her into his arms and blew a raspberry onto her stomach.  She squealed and kicked her legs.  “Daddy!”

“You know I’ll be back as quick as I can.  I don’t want to go either.”  Bucky said.

“You gotta beat up the baddies.”  Isabelle your middle child said punching and kicking the air while she made sound effects.

Bucky picked her up and threw her up in the air.  She squealed and started giggling.  “I will try not to beat up anyone if I can help it.  Maybe they’ll all come along peacefully.”

“I saw Uncle Steve on the TV.  He was fightin’ and throwin’ his shield.”  Stevie the oldest said mimicking the moves he’d seen Steve do.  “I wanna fight the baddies.”

Bucky frowned.  This is the kind of thing he was hoping to avoid.  He wanted his kids to be what they wanted to be.  To explore the things that made them happy.  To have choices and freedom.  He didn’t want them following in his footsteps though.  He didn’t want them having the same PTSD dreams he had.  For them to know what it was like to wake up in a cold sweat.  For them to be tortured and broken apart and rebuilt.

“There will be no fighting bad guys today.”  You said, poking your son in the stomach.  He batted your hand away and then jumped on Bucky’s back.  Bucky grabbed him and flipped him over placing him on his back on the floor and tickling him.

“You could retire you know?”  You suggested putting your hand on his back.

He shook his head.  “You know I can’t.”

You leaned over and kissed his cheek running your thumb over his jawline.  “We’ll be here waiting for you.  So just, come home safe.”

“I always do.”

There was a knock on the door and you got up to answer it.  Bucky collapsed back on the floor with a groan and all three children pounced on him.  He started wrestling with them and by the time you’d come back into the room with Steve Rogers he was face down with the three children in a pile on the top of his head giggling wildly.

“This looks like good practice,”  Steve said looking down at the pile.

“They defeated me,”  Bucky called, his voice muffled under all the children.  “You have to go on without me.”

“You ready?”  Steve asked.

“No!”  The children all whined in unison.  “You can’t take daddy!”

Bucky started crawling towards the door as the kids clung to him.  “No, you’ll never take me alive.”  He gasped theatrically.

“No, daddy!”  They squealed pulling him back.

Bucky straightened up onto his knees and then fell on his back.  “Go… On… without me!”  He gasped.  “Tell my wife I love her.”

“I’m right here, honey.”  You teased.  

He made one last groan and closed his eyes and poked out his tongue.

Steve laughed for a moment and then as the kids started shaking Bucky and telling him to stop pretending and that he wasn’t dead a frown fell over his features.

“Hey, Buck.  You know what.  I think we’ll be okay without you.  We got Clint and Carol will be there. She’s kind of a heavy hitter.”  He said.

Bucky sat up and the children all rolled off him.  He looked up at Steve with his head tilted to the side.  “You sure, Stevie?  I don’t mind.”

“Yeah, it’s okay, Buck.  Stay here.  Be with your family.”  He said with a nod.

Bucky grinned up at his friend.  “Thanks, pal.”

Steve put his hand on Bucky’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze.  “Of course.  Next time we need you I’ll let you know.”

Bucky nodded and lifted Isabelle and Rebecca up onto his shoulders.  “Say thank you to uncle Steve.”

“Thank you, Uncle Steve.”  Three small voices said in unison.

Steve smiled and ruffled little Steve’s hair.  “You’re welcome.  You look after your dad until I get back.”

“We will.”  They all chimed again.

Bucky watched as Steve left and then turned back to you.  “What the hell just happened?”

You shrugged.  “Change of heart?”

Bucky shook his head and stood up still holding the girls above his head.  “Well, guess who’s stuck with daddy monster then?”  He roared.

The kids all screamed and Steve ran out towards the backyard.  “No!  Daddy!  Put us down!”  Isabelle screamed.  Bucky laughed and put them down so they could run.  He would always go when Steve asked but he did love it when he didn’t get asked.


End file.
